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Facts and Current Trends
Facts and Current Trends Report on Current Trends in CTE Cynthia Ottaviano CTE 510/University of Phoenix February 2, 2019 Milagros Marchese This report contains a brief overview of the Connecticut Technical Education and Careers System. It will discuss three of the current trends that CTES’s secondary high schools are challenged with and their possible solutions. CTE and Student Enrollment Currently for the year 2017, Connecticut’s CTE high school enrollment is 106,218. That is an 6,637 enrollment increase from the year 2015-2016 with 92% of graduates going into postsecondary education or careers (AdvanceCTE, 2019). In comparison, New Jersey’s 2015-2016 CTE enrollment was 80,460 with a 99% postsecondary outcome.(AdvanceCTE, 2019). However, according to a survey done by Education Development Center (2014), the Northeast has the lowest CTE enrollment with 15% in the nation (p.4). Compare to the South with 39.2%(p.4). One of the major strategies we as a school can do to improve enrollment is recruitment. Getting the CTE system name and purpose to the public. This means physically going to middle schools and local education venues with CTE students and marketing how CTE schools can meet the needs of the community and job market, while creating a foundation for college and career readiness. Also, using social media such as Facebook and Instagram to reach all students, parents and local businesses. CTE Partnering with Business and Industry Having a partnership with local business and industry is a large component of the CTE experience. One of factors that gets students ready for life after high school is the hands-on experience they gain while attending a CTE school. Career development depends on the information gathered in work-based learning, volunteering, job shadowing and internships. We need to educate businesses and industries in Connecticut on the benefits they receive by partnering with CTE schools. “Effective, high-quality CTE programs are aligned not only with college-and-career readiness standards, but also with the needs of employers, industry, and labor”(U.S. Department, 2012, p.2). Hopefully with the Perkins Act of 2012 being reauthorized, we will see more alignment with business and industry. Loudenback states (2018), regarding the Perkins V, “This provision emphasizes greater opportunities to work with professionals in experiential learning opportunities-including on-the-job training, apprenticeships, shadowing, internships and other approaches…” (para.4). CTE and Academics Curriculum in the CTE school system currently has a separation of academics and CTE courses. Aligning the two programs creates a more college and career ready student. Currently we are incorporating programs such as STEM and using professional development as a way to create collaboration. Several career clusters use academics as part of their curriculum. For example, carpentry and electrical apply math skills daily in their trade. However, it would be beneficial if academics and trades worked together to collaborate lessons that align. Currently 69.7% of the CTE respondents surveyed have a separation of academics and CTE courses (EDC, 2014). In summary, the CTECS’s program is growing and has larger total enrollment than their neighbors, New Jersey. However, the Northeast is still low in comparison to the rest of the country. Connecticut must take steps to create better postsecondary outcomes by improving their secondary educational system. Connecticut’s CTE system must take steps to improve partnerships with community businesses and industries so that graduates will be trained in fields that are in demand within the state. Lastly, students would benefit from aligning CTE courses and academics. References Advance CTE. (2019). CTE: Learning That Works for Connecticut. Retrieved from https://cte.careertech.org/sites/default/files/Connecticut_CTE_Factsheet_2017.pdf Advance CTE. (2019). CTE: Learning That Works for New Jersey. Retrieved from https://cte.careertech.org/sites/default/files/New_Jersey_CTE_Factsheet_2017.pdf Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work. (2019). Connecticut. Retrieved from https://careertech.org/Connecticut Advance CTE: State Leaders Connecting Learning to Work. (2019). New Jersey. Retrieved from https://careertech.org/new-jersey Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. (2017). About. Retrieved from http://www.cttech.org/about.html Connecticut Technical High School System. (2017). Program of Studies 2015-2016. Retrieved from http://www.cttech.org/assets/uploads/files/Program%20of%20Studies%202015- 16/Program%20of%20Studies%202015-16.pdf CSDE: District Profile and Performance Report for School Year 2016-17.(March 1,2018). PDF Retrieved from http://www.cttech.org/assets/uploads/2016-2017%20district%20profile.pdf Education Development Center, Inc. (2014). CTE trends and challenges: Executive summary. Waltham, MA: Author. Retrieved from http://ltd.edc.org/resourcelibrary/survey-cte Jeremy Loudenback (August 23, 2018). The Chronicle of Social Change: Children and Youth, Front and Center. Retrieved from https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/child-welfare-2/updated-perkins-act- places-greater-emphasis-on-work-based-learning U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. (2012) ''Investing in America's Future: A Blueprint for Transforming Career and Technical Education.''Washington, D.C. Retrieved from: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/transforming-career-technical- education.pdf